The Sequel
by Sief
Summary: the notebook was old frailed and speckled with stains. Why did her mother write a diary? And why is her mother calling her dad a jerk in it?
1. Chapter 1

7 years after the adventure

Anyone who looked at the little girl could tell she came from foreign blood. She was small even for a six year old, with light skinny bones that looked like she'd blow away in a strong breeze. Even though the child ate like a monster. The girl had mud brown hair that was curly beyond belief, and grey brown eyes that looked too big for her face. Her skin was a light natural tan that darkened to the color of a roasted nut in the summer seasons.

Currently the skin on her face was the color of dirt. Her small bare feet had snagged on a rock in the road she fell face first in the dust. Small tears of shock welled up in her big eyes even though she wasn't really hurt.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed as she was lifted off the ground by the scruff of her kimono. Then she gave a teary giggle as she was set on her father's shoulder. Her dad commented drily.

"You need to learn to watch where your going brat." The words seemed harsh, but anyone who knew the man could hear the underlying affection. The girl just shrugged and kept a gentle hold on her father's hair to steady herself. Careful not to poke her back on the straight sword her father kept strapped to his back at all times.

The man himself rolled his eyes at his daughter as he continued on the short path to the beach where his small boat was kept. The boat would take him to the mainland where he would leave it moored, and then hop on the larger fishing vessel that would be waiting. It was convenient that the man was able to find the job. Most of what the man knew revolved around fighting. What he knew that wasn't about fighting was about sailing (a typical pirate's education). One thing that he hated about the job was that it forced him to be away for days on end. A few years back that would have seemed like dream circumstances. Now however it just meant their was a time gap where he didn't know if his wife and kid where okay.

The man mused over the irony, before the idea of playing the role of husband and father would have made him gag. Now if he lost these two girls in his life he didn't know what he'd do. Actually he did know, he would kill who was responsible, slowly, painfully, without mercy. When they reached the shore he set his daughter down on her feet and set to readying his boat. He handed his girl the too long pole that he would use to propel himself to the mainland, so she could think she was helping. When everything was ready he took the pole from his daughter and gave her his lopsided grin.

"Okay runt watch yourself while I'm gone." The girl nodded enthusiastically and leaped forward wrapping her tiny arms around his knees.

"Bye bye Papa I love you." the man petted his daughters fly away hair before waving her back up the path they'd gone down.

"Go on now go straight home." The girl went to the top of the hill before turning around and waving out to her father until he was too far away to see. With that she turned around and went running through the field of plants as a short cut to her families home. The field was her favorite place, the plants provided a great hiding place since they were three times the height she was. Of course it was early summer so the blooms on the flowers were only just starting to bloom. Her mother had showed her how the flowers follow the sun and she'd learned to tell time by them. The girl jogged the whole way back home uncaring for the small pebbles beneath her feet. Her soles were too callused to give it much thought to wear shoes. As she got closer to the house she cleared the field of flowers and passed by a simply marked grave. She didn't slow down but nodded to the grave as she passed calling out quietly.

"Hi grandpa." When she got back to her families small house she heard her mother humming to herself. Entering the hut she found her mother in the front room stitching a kimono. Her mother smiled up at her daughter and asked in her soft voice.

"Did your Papa take off alright?" The girl nodded as she laid on her belly next to her mother fingering the new fabric of the garment she was making.

"Who's this for?" Her mother giggled lightly.

"Who else but you child, you've been shooting up like a weed lately. Now no laying around you have chores to do." The girl groaned as she hauled herself off the ground and took off to the other rooms of the house to start cleaning. The rooms where her and her parents slept were newer than front room, they'd been added on to the original house before she was born. She started by cleaning up the few toys she had scattered around her own room. Stopping to pick up the toy sword that her Father had carved for her she swung it around, once with so much gusto that she lost her footing and tumbled into her mother's trunk. The chest and the girl went falling to the ground.

"What was that?" Her mother called out from the other room.

"Nothing." The girl called back in her most innocent voice rushing to clean up the contents of the trunk that had spilled out. Of course she had to stop to look at the items, they were weird old things that seemed quiet unrelated to one another. There was a pair of glasses that were broken beyond repair, the frames warped and the lenses shattered. The second item was the hilt of a sword, it looked like the blade had been snapped of, the hilt was weird for foreign make with two prongs sticking off the hilt. The third was what looked like a large dagger sheathed in pink polished wood with three charms dangling of the handle. The last was an old kimono it was faded and slightly frayed at the hems, but it was a dark pink with pretty pink designs dancing across the fabric. When the girl picked up the kimono something fell out of the folds hitting the ground with a heavy smack.

The item seemed to be a writing journal, flipping through the pages she found it to be a diary. The girl read through snatches of the pages with fleeting interest. Her mother had taught her to read from the time she was old enough. Her father could he too but not very well, he usually reserved the skill for when he needed to read a restaurant menu. Looking midway through the little book the girl found a section that interested her.

_Dear Diary,_

_ It's me Fuu, I know it's been awhile but I've found a new need to start writing again. It's been nearly a year since my journy to find my father. Honestly I never expected to see my two body guards again, until today. Because when I was in town I ran into that jerk, Mugen. _

The little girl's eyes widened as she read, this diary was her mother's, from the date it was written before she was born.

"This could be good." she thought to her self. So the child settled on the floor and began to read.

**Here's an idea that's been nagging me, just because I fell in love with Samurai Champloo and wanted more then the anime provided. If you like shoot me a review.**


	2. Ninety Dumplings To Go

The village I'd been living in was not very big in fact it was down right basic, and completely off the governments radar. However it did have a sizable river next to it which aloud for a small trading business to go through. I'd come here hoping to find work, and I did. Don't worry it wasn't at another tea shop it was as a maid. One of the wealthiest men in the village was Saitou who delt business in the trading of cloth that a bunch of women in town would craft. I'd found him at the suggestion of one of the towns people, they said he was a good man who would hire people to one job or another if they really needed it.

When I met him he was a skinny man in his early fifties with a tired but honest face. I didn't think he'd hire me because I had no skill in cloth making, but he did offer me a deal. He told me how during the last winter season he'd been widowed due to a fever his young wife had caught. Which meant that it was just him and their young child at home, as they had no other family. He offered me the job of being the maid/nanny in his house to ease some of the trouble of keeping an eye on his son off of the cook. Who had been watching the boy when his father was dealing with work.

All in all it was a sweet deal. In exchange for room, board, and a modest wage I cleaned house, entertained little Taro, and occasionally ran errands for Cook. In fact that was what begins my little story, running for groceries in town.

He certainly was not what I was expecting to see in the market that day. He hadn't changed an iota, he was still tall and near painfully skinny. But with whip-chord strength and crazy eyes that made people think twice about messing with him. It seemed he was trying to haggle with the food stand vendor and doing a poor job of it.

I'd been buying the food for Cook and had some coin left. Without caring for the consequences I went up to the counter and slapped down the money.

"Give him what ever food that will buy." I walked away with out another word, hoping he'd leave it at that. But of course Mugen would never let things be that simple. In a moment I nearly dropped my bag because of the sharp tug at my wrist.

"Yo, wench! Who do think I am, some weak charity case?" His harsh grating voice was just as I remembered it. Looking at his other hand there was two sticks of dumplings, ten in all. Smiling at him in a cheeky manner I answered.

"Not at all actually, I still owe you 90 more dumplings." I saw the eyes widen slightly in surprise, then narrow in suspicion, then crinkle slightly in amusement.

"Fuu? Dang girly, you did some growing up huh?" I blushed a little as his steel colored eyes roamed over me. He was right I was a bit taller then when we'd traveled together, and I had filled out enough that my curves actually showed under my newer blue kimono.

"Yeah, I live here now. What are you doing in this town?" Mugen shrugged while picking his ear in an uncaring way.

"Was just drifting through. Got hungry, thought I'd see if I could make some coin. What about you, what kinda job can a chick get in this one horse town?" I smiled slightly and reaching forward I grabbed his tattooed wrist and lightly dragged him.

"Come with me and I'll show you." So I led him over to the big house. That was what the locals called my employers home, it wasn't extravagant but you could tell it took money to by. Looking back at Mugen I took in his face as he scrutinized everything with a cocked eyebrow. That made me feel pleased with myself, I wanted to show him how well I could make it on my own. Although he was probably just analyzing weak spots in the house in case a fight broke out. Which tends to happen a lot around him actually.

As we walked closer to the house we heard a childish shriek, by now I instantly recognized Taro's voice and knew that was the shriek he made when he was playing. The sound seemed to startle Mugen, who stiffened and his eyes started darting side to side trying to find the source of the noise. Within a moment from the house came Taro going as fast as his chubby toddler legs could carry him. The boys was still very unsteady as he came for me, so I dropped my bag and scooped him up before he could fall on his face. The child giggled at me as bounced him playfully on my hip.

"Hey Taro, you behaving yourself?" Boy smiled really big and spat out a loud.

"No!" Putting on a more serious face I answered teasingly.

"If Cook punishes you for misbehaving I can't help you little man." Remembering my friend I turned to face him again keeping Taro hugged to my side.

"Mugen, this is probably the most important part of my job Taro." The youngster grinned real big and started clapping his hands together at Mugen. That was how he liked to greet people. Mugen grunted in acknowledgment but the expression on his face was strange. It looked like he was awe struck by something, but I had a squirming two year old that wanted back on his feet.

"Okay, okay mister." I put Taro on the ground and he immediately toddled right up to Mugen without a care in the world. I rushed to pick up my bag so I could take the kids hand before he bothered Mugen but I was too late. The boy managed to get over to the vagabond's feet and wrap his arms around one skinny ankle. Mugen looked down at the kid with a grin that was half sincere and half annoyance.

"Kid your gonna get hurt cozin' up to strangers like that." The boy just looked up at him and giggled. Mugen gave him the mischievous smirk that I'd seen time and again.

"Don't believe me runt?" With that Mugen took a step forward, dragging the kid behind him who was still giggling at his fun new game. When he wouldn't let go Mugen huffed and looked at me.

"The brat's as stubborn as you are." I smiled at the comment as I detached the happy boy from the drifter's leg.

"Well I keep telling his father that I'm a good influence." Looking at the child I groaned. His once clean clothing now had dirt smeared all down the front where Mugen had dragged around on the path.

"Speaking of which, I need to get you clean before your father gets home." With that I steadied Taro on my hip with practiced ease and picked up the bag full of groceries. When I walked up to the thresh-hold I realized that Mugen wasn't following.

"Are you coming in for dinner or not?" Mugen smirked at the question and spoke as he walked up to the house.

"Free food, and maybe some booze? Why the heck not."

**Well here's chapter 2 I'm still laying down the ground work. So we have Fuu's backstory and Mugen's found her. The funny thing is at the moment he thinks that Fuu is Taro's mother. Finding names for my character's is awekward as I am no where near Japanese. I researched some common names online. Saitou was listed as the 10th most common Japanese surname, and Taro is an old fashioned name for 'first son'. Review and tell me what ya think: )**


	3. Play and Laughter

When we got inside the house I set Taro on his feet. The boy immediately ran off to cause havoc else where. Taking my bag I went off to the kitchen hearing Mugen's heavy footsteps behind me.

"Cook, I'm back. Did you know that Taro was running outside alone?" The aging woman's head popped up, eyes wide.

"What! I sent him to his room what was he...?" She trailed off as she took in Mugen for a long moment.

"How long was I baking?" She asked in a perplexed tone. At that I laughed out loud while Mugen just stood back scratching the back of his neck. Gesturing to him as I hung up the vegetables.

"Cook this is Mugen. Mugen this is Miss. Yuki, but we all call her Cook." Cook's eyes widened.

"Not that same Mugen that traveled with our Fuu cross country." Mugen crossed his arms a little defensively.

"What of it Granny?" Cook cocked an eyebrow at the tone but instead of taking the bait she looked at me.

"He's exactly as you said Fuu." Mugen looked at me with a scowl.

"What did you say girly?" Instead of letting me answer Cook called over my shoulder.

"Taro, who's in your favorite stories?" Looking behind us we saw little Taro standing in the doorway, and he shrieked out happily.

"Cool Jin! Wild Man Mugen!" Mugen looked at me confused.

"Wild Man?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"What? I wasn't going to lie to the boy." He was going to retort when Cook called me over.

"Fuu, come help me finish dinner." While I did that Mugen sat cross legged near the window and rested his head on his elbow looking ready to fall asleep. Taro came over holding one of his toys, a ball of twine that had been wrapped enough to form a hand sized ball. When he saw that Cook and I weren't going to stop to play he turned to his new 'friend'. Standing in front of the relaxing vagrant the boy cocked back his little arm and threw the ball at Mugen. The throw didn't have a lot of power behind it and it bounced off Mugen's chest harmlessly to land in his lap. Cracking open his eyes Mugen looked at the small toy and then at the toddler in front of him.

"What the heck kid?" Taro clapped his hands together and cried out.

"Ball!" Mugen picked up the toy making a, huh sound in his throat trying to understand the boy. Obviously it's not common for pirates to learn to speak baby. Looking up from the pot of broth I was nursing I called out to him.

"He wants you to play ball with him." Mugen scowled up at the idea and whined.

"What the heck do I know about playing with a darn kid?" Sighing I answered in an exasperated tone.

"Just toss the ball to him." Taking the ball in hand Mugen gave it a half heart ed toss to the other side of the room.

"Fetch." I was about to fuss at him for acting that way, but Taro didn't seem to mind. The boy just went to chase the ball and went back to stand in front of Mugen. They say that small children posses a certain kind of wisdom, and Taro was displaying it. I swear that he knew that the grown man was out of his depth so the boy squatted and rolled the ball toward the man. It was actually entertaining to watch Mugen play with a young child. The game quickly shifted from roll the ball, to keep away. Mugen even tried to toss the ball to the boy, but Taro didn't have any reflexes yet so the ball bounced off of his chubby belly making him giggle. I swear that I saw Mugen crack a smile as they played on the kitchen floor. It was a miracle, like all small kids Taro tended to shift attention easily, but Mugen kept him busy for over an hour.

However eventually there was the sound of the sliding front door opening and then closing and the gentle voice of my boss drifted in.

"Do I smell dinner cooking?" His voice proceeded him with a teasing lint. Cook and I answered absently at the same time.

"Yes, Sir." Then Mr. Saitou came into the kitchen, and Taro immediately broke away from Mugen and rushed him.

"Pappa!" Mr. Saitou laughed and scooped up the boy spinning him around. In mid-swing Saitou paused suddenly catching a glimpse of Mugen lounging on the floor. The two men regarded each other for a long moment. Saitou thoughtfully took in Mugen's relaxed position, rough clothes, and wild hair. Like wise Mugen studied Saitou's laugh lines, slightly greying black hair, and plain but respectable clothing.

"Hello." Saitou broke the silence uncertainly clearly confused at the presence of a stranger in his home. Mugen picked at his ear uncaring and answered back simply.

"Yo." Rushing from the back of the kitchen I stood in front of my boss giving my best 'innocent' face.

"Welcome home first of all, second I can explain." Not responding right away Saitou just crossed his arms and gave a look that said 'I'm waiting'. So deciding to bite the bullet I finally said.

"This is Mugen." Saitou's eyes widened comically as he took in the younger man in front of him anew.

"So this is the infamous Wild Man Mugen we've all heard about?" Mugen still staring Saitou up and down nodded slowly. After a moment Saitou's face lit up in a big smile and he came up to Mugen and shook his hand, leaving poor Mugen looking very put out. The pirate was obviously very uncomfortable with the warm welcome and didn't say anything. Luckily though he didn't have to because Saitou went on graciously.

"On behalf of me and my son, thank you for all you did for Fuu that time ago. It's safe to say that without you she never would have found her way into our lives." For some reason Saitou's words made Mugen scowl a little bit more. Luckily Cook interrupted before anymore awkwardness could be spoken aloud.

"Well then we can start offering thanks by eating dinner while it's still warm." So we all set into dinner with Mugen chugging down like a pig. I didn't really gorge myself like that anymore, because around here I never want for food. Saitou made light conversation about how work was going. While I tried to keep Taro from making a bigger mess of himself. Soon later at the evening Taro started yawning, but he was still covered in dust from earlier. So picking him up I announced that I was going to clean Taro up in the bath house out back then put him to bed. The whole process took about an hour and by the time I'd laid down Taro and covered him with a blanket he was already asleep.

I was wandering back to the front of the house when I heard a loud boisterous laugh that took me by surprise. Rushing forward I reached the room were Saitou and Mugen were left alone (Cook lives independently). In the room Saitou was clutching at his stomach while trying to reign in his laughter. While Mugen was standing with fists clentched looking both confused and angry.

"What the hecks your problem old man? I was only sayin the truth." Glancing between the two of them I called out helplessly.

"What's going on in here?" Saitou glanced up at me and burst out in a brand new peal of laughter. After a moment he took a few breaths and collected himself.

"It seems our friend here has fallen victim to a grave misunderstanding." I cocked an eyebrow at the vagueness, and he continued.

"After making a very crude comment about me being a cradle-robber I've discovered that Mugen here is under the impression that we are married and you are Taro's mother." At saying it aloud Saitou set himself off in another round of laughter, this time I joined in. We both laughed long and hard at Mugen's expense while he just stood looking even more confused and angry. Finally taking pity on him I gathered myself together and spoke.

"Saitou is my employer, he's a widower whose hired me to be the maid and Taro's nanny." A put out Mugen is a very funny thing to see. He's face jumps between, upset and embarrassed a few times before it settles on frustrated. Feeling particularly merciful tonight I looked to Saitou and asked respectfully.

"Sir do you mind if I show Mugen to the guest room for the night?" Saitou grinning at me with eyes still laughing at their joke answered without hesitation.

"Yes, yes of course. Have a good night Mugen." As I went to walk past him Mugen grabbed my elbow and glared at Saitou.

"What makes the two of you think I even want to stay here tonight?" Pulling my elbow away from him roughly I answered with my arms crossed.

"Oh, as if you have a place to sleep under a roof, that won't charge you money you don't have?" Pouting his lips slightly Mugen actually shut his mouth and followed me down the hall to the empty room in the house. Opening the door for him a allowed him into the room and closed it behind me so I could talk to him.

"I can't believe you thought we were married!" I exclaimed as loud as I could without disturbing Taro across the hall. Mugen shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't care.

"Well your liven with some rich dude and small kid. What was I suppose to think wench?" I giggled a little bit at his logic.

"Mugen if you would even stop to think. Taro is to old for me to have birthed him since the time we traveled together. I would have needed to already be pregnant for that to be possible." Again shrugging he looked away slightly.

"Feh, I don't pretend to know what you did in your free time girly." I knew Mugen well enough to know he was trying to get a rise out of me so I just smiled and answered softly.

"You know Mugen it's almost a comfort to see your the same jerk that I knew back when." With that I said goodnight and walked away.

**Well there's chapter 3, writing Fuu and Mugen is harder then I expected it to be. I want to show that their journey changed them in certain ways. Like it made Fuu calmer and more self-assured and even mellowed out Mugen a little bit. It's difficult to show that while still being true to the characters, but I think I've managed well. Shoot me a Review and tell me what you think.**


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